2) Battle of Blood Island

This obscure World War II film about a couple of American G.I.’s in Japan wouldn’t necessarily merit much of a mention but for the fact that it is the first film based on a work by Philip Roth, in this case the short story “Expect the Vandals,” which was originally published in Esquire.

9) The Jazz Singer

This is certainly not the most famous adaptation of Samson Raphaelson’s play (that would be the Al Jolson version) and it’s certainly not the most reviled (that honor goes to the Neil Diamond movie). But this made-for-TV film that starred Jerry Lewis, Anna Maria Alberghetti and Molly Picon may be the oddest “Jazz Singer” we’ve seen.

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